Stereotype-casting apparatus.



Nd. 801,716. PATENTED 0GT.10,1905.

- A. E. & E. HALL.

STEREOTYPE GASTIN G APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIONTILED 0611.17. 1900. RENEWED MAE. 3, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 801,716. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

A. E. & E. HALL.

STERBOTYPB CASTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCTl7. 1900. RENEWED MAR. 3,1904.

3 SHEETS-"SHEET 2.

Wit E55ES= 11:25 turs= $5M g M P KW munzw, a cxuww cc, wqmmnacmwnuswasnmmon 0 c No. 801,716. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905. A. E. & E. HALL.

STEREOTYPE CASTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.17.1900. RENEWED MAB.- 3,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

H Igva U15= UNITED s ramns PATENT OFFICE ALBERT EDWARD HALL, OFSOMERVILLE, NI.) EDGAR HALL, OF GAM- BRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROBERT HOE, OF NEW YORK,N. Y.

STEREOTYPE-CASTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Tn 117/ III/ 1.0711 it 'nm concern.-

Be it known that we, ALB ER'I EDWARD HALL, of Somerville,and EDGARHALL,Of Cambridgeport, in the county ofMiddlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stereotype- Casting Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in castingboxes, and moreparticularly to casting-boxes used for casting stereotypeplates.

asting-boxes used for casting stereotypeplates as now generallyconstructed are trun- 5 nioned in a frame and arranged to swing to avertical position in order to receive the molten metal and, after themetal has been poured, into a horizontal position. The cover or cope isthen raised and the cast plates removed. Both the casting-box body andthe cover or cope are necessarily constructed of heavy metal, andtherefore a considerable effort is required not only to swing them ontheir pivots from the vertical to the horizontal position, but tothereafter raise the cover in order that the cast plate may be removed.In order to facilitate the handling of such boxes, it has been customaryto use counterweights of various descriptions, said counterweightsoperating not only to assist in the movement of the box, but also in themovement of raising the cover. In the usual form such counterweightsconsist of an iron weight connected to the box and cover by means of achain. the box and cover operating to raise the counterweight as the boxis swung from a vertical to a horizontal position and the counterweightthereafter assisting to raise the cover. These counter-weights are notonly expensive, but their method of attachment to the box requires theuse of a frame, which is also expensive. Furthermore, the operation of abox equipped with counterweights is laborious and the box is slow.

It is one of the objects of this invention to produce a casting-box inwhich the necessity for extraneous counter-weights shall be done awaywith, the box and cover being arranged so that one of the parts shallact as a counterweight for the other.

A further object of the invention is to produce a casting-box in whichonly one of the parts of the box need be swung to open and inglengthwise and crosswise thereof.

close it, the other part being arranged so as to be partially stationarywith respect thereto, the stationary part acting as a counterweight forthe movable part.

A further object of the invention is to produce a casting-box in whichthe cover and bed act as a counterbalance for each other and in whichprovision is made for the circulation of cooling liquid.

A further object of the invention is to improve certain details of themechanism relating to the operation of casting-boxes.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainconstructions and in certain parts, improvements, and combinations, aswill be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims hereuntoappended.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one formof the improved apparatus, showing the bed and cover of the casting-boxlocked together in position for pouring. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofthe parts on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, thestandard and certain parts connected thereto being broken away, thefigure illustrating the parts in a slightly-different position from thatillustrated in Fig. 1 and in the position preparatory to fully openingthe box. Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the box fully opened. Figs. 5and 6 are front and rear views, respectively, of the box in itsfullyopened position, Fig. 6 showing the upper part of the cover brokenaway. Fig. 7 is a detail of the liquid-transmitting connection betweenthe cover and bed. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail viewillustrating the construction of the matrix-clamp. Fig. 9 is a detailsectional view illustrating a construction of the cover, and Fig. 10 isa view of a cast plate.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the frame shown is composed of a base 11, havingstandards 18 31 on each side thereof. These standards are or may beconnected by cross-bars or tie-rods 12, 13, and 1 1. The standards 18are provided with the usual bearings in which in the construction shownthe bed or body of the box 15 is mounted to swing, said bed beingprovided With journals 17. The bed may, as is usual in such boxes, beprovided with strengthening-ribs 16, extend- The journals 17 instead of,as is usual, being arranged near the middle of the box are arrangedbetween the middle and the lower end of the box, their position beingdetermined by the relative weightof the box and cover. The cover of thebox, which is shown as semicylindrical, as is usual in boxes for castingprinting-plates, is marked 19, and in the preferred form of theconstruction it will be provided with an internal water-space 20,through which water or other cooling liquid may be caused to circulate,as will be hereinafter described. The cover may be connected to the bedor body in any suitable way; but in the preferred construction and whenthe cover is hollow the connection will be effected by means of hollowjournals 21. In the preferred construction and as is common in thisclass of boxes the cover will be provided with transverse grooves 24,which form ribs on the concave surface of the cast plate. The upper endof the cover may be and preferably will be beveled or inclined to formin connection with the concave face of the bed a pouringmouth for thereception of the molten metal.

The matrix-holding devices may be of any suitable description. As shown,there is provided on each side of the bed an angular clamp 25, theconstruction of this clamp being illustrated in Fig. 8, this clamp inthe construction shown also closing the side openings in the bedor bodyand defining the edge of the cast plate. In the preferred construc tionthis clamp 25 willbe connected to the box by suitable hinges, as 27, inorder that the clamp may be conveniently turned to release the matrixand plate. The clamp may be provided with a spring to press it firmlyagainst the edges of the matrix. In the construction illustrated in Fig.8 a coiled spring 28 is provided for this purpose, this spring occupyinga socket in one of the members of the hinge, said spring operatingagainsta movable plunger which rests upon it. hen the clamp is raised,the plunger is pressed down upon the spring, the spring holding theclamp in both its raised and lower position. When the clamp is fullyopened, the swinging member of the hinge may be arranged to bear againsta stop 59, formed on the stationary member to prevent the clamp fromswinging too far.

(See Figs. 5 and 8.) a

The space at the bottom between the bed or body 15 and the cover 19 maybe closed in any suitable manner. In the construction shown this iseffected by the usual head-gage 29, which is suitably shaped to fit thespace between the members of the box, this headgage being in theconstruction shown pivoted at each end of its semicircular portion tothe edge of the bed. The ends of the gage may be, as usual, prolongedand provided with handles, as 30, so that when the box is opened thehead-gage may be utilized to push the plate forward. As shown, thishead-gage is slightly recessed at its center, as at 52, Figs. 5 and 6,to forma projection at the end of the plate, which may constitute aguide in the subsequent trimming operation to which such plates areordinarily subjected.

According to the present invention one of the members of, the box ismaintained in a sub stantially vertical position, the other memberswinging toward and away from it. In the present instance the cover isthe member maintained in the upright position, and the bed or bodyswings toward and away from the cover. The bed and cover being connectedtogether and the weight of the cover being supported by the bed, it willbe understood that by properly positioning the journals of the bed withrespect to the weight of the bed and cover the cover will be caused tocounterbalance the bed. The bed may therefore be swung up and downtoward and away from the cover with great rapidity and withcomparatively little exertion, the cover moving vertically, but beingmaintained always in a substantially vertical position.

The construction by which the part of the box which is maintained in avertical position is so maintained may be varied widely. In theparticular construction shown there is provided a bar 33, which isadjustably connected to a bearing 3&, pivoted on the crossbar 12, beforereferred to as connecting the standards 31. The other end of this bar isconnected to a bearing mounted on a shaft 32, this shaft being supportedin bearings mounted on the back of the cover 19, and thus forming anextension from the cover. It will be seen that the rod 33 acts as a linkand that through it and the connections before clescribed the cover 19is pivotally connected to the frame. WVhile the parts might be soconstructed that the swinging of the journaled member of the box fromthe horizontal to the vertical position would serve to bring the twomembers of the box into completely operative relation with each otherand maintain them in this relation during the casting operation in theconstruction shown, a locking mechanism is employed for holding theparts together during the casting operation. This locking mechanism maybe widely varied in construction. As shown, the tie-rod 13 is formed asa shaft and mounted to oscillate in the standards 31. This shaft 13 hasfixed upon it a casting 36, to the forward end of which is connected bya pivot 38 a tongue 37, said tongue havinga rearward extension 37?,which serves as a counterweight or balance for it. The pivot 38 connectsthe casting 36 to the tongue and its tongue about centrally, and saidparts are shouldered near the pivot, these shoulders bearing againsteach other in two different positions. (See dotted lines in Figs. 1 and4.) The shaft 13 is operated by a bandle 35, the forward throw of thishandle being controlled by a stop 41. The outer end of the tongue 37 hasa notch, as shown, which engages a tailpiece 39 at the foot of the coverthe same is thrown into its vertical position. The casting 36 and thetongue 37 form a toggle, and as the handle is thrown rearwardly thistoggle straightens out and forces the lower part of the cover againstthe bed, the upper part of the cover being thrown forward by the link33. The locking action of the parts 36 37 takes place after the bed hasreached its upright position, so that at this time the link 33 issubstantially in its hori- Zontal position.

If desired, across-bar 42, bolted to the cover 19, having its endsprojecting therefrom, may be employed, the projecting ends of this barbearing, when the box is closed, against the clamps 25, and thus servingto prevent the bed and cover from being forced too closely together.

If desired. a stop 40 may be employed to firmly maintain the bed andcover in position when the box is opened, as illustrated in Fig. at.This stop M) in the construction illustrated is mounted on the casting36 and is thrown into and out of operative position by the movement ofthe shaft 13.

In opening the box the handle 35 is first thrown from the positionillustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in Fig. at, afterwhich the bed may be swung away from the cover. In the preferredconstruction, however, a device will preferably be employed to give thebox and cover a preliminary separation, this separation taking placebefore the bed is swung from its vertical to its horizontal position andserving to withdraw the ribs on the cast plate from the grooves 24 inthe cover.

\Vhile any suitable mechanism may be used for this purpose, in theconstruction shown this preliminary movement is effected by a pair ofcams 43, which are fixed on a shaft M, turning in bearings secured tothe rear edges of the cover. This shaft and the shaft 32: beforereferred to as mounted on the cover, are provided with sprocket-wheels45. Over these wheels runs a chain 5%, and the shaft 32 is provided witha crank-handle a6, by which it is rotated. \Vhen the box and cover areconstructed as heretofore described, the connections between the twoparts are of such a character as to permit the preliminary movementwhich has just been referred to.

In the construction shown the wall of the bed is provided with recesses55, in which the journals 21. of the cover are received, these recessesbeing closed by plates 56, bolted to the edge of the bed and beingprovided with an adjusting-screw 57. This screw is adjustable to permita movement of the bearings 21 less than the full throw of the cams as.hen the limit allowed by the screw 57 is reached, the bed turns slightlyon its journals and throws the upper end of the bed away from the coversufficiently to free the ribs of the plate from the grooves in thecover.

Then the box is constructed, as shown, to be used with a circulatingsystem of cooling liquid, the construction will be preferably such thata constant current of liquid may be maintained through the water-space20 in the cover. In the particular construction illustrated the liquidis admitted and discharged through the inlet and outlet pipes and theswinging pipes 47, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 7. Thesepipes at each end connect the hollow journals 21 at the bottom of thecover with the journals 17 of the bed, which are also made hollow, sothat the bed when swung up and down will maintain its relation to thecover as described without disturbing the flow of water through thepipes which swing with the bed. As illustrated in Fig. T, one end ofeach of the connecting water-tubes passes through a stuiiing-box 4:8 andis screwed intothe end of one of the pipes 50. The discharge-tubes a9connect with the water-space 20 in the bed, and the lower ends of thesetubes connect with a recess in the bottom of the cover, which leads toone of the hollow journals .21. It will be understood, therefore, that aconstant circulation of water is kept up through the bed, the watercoming in through one of the pipes 50 and one of the hollow journals 21and passingout through the pipes 49 and the other hollow journal.

'hile the construction shown and described embodies the invention in apreferred form, it is to be understood that the invention may beembodied in constructions which differ widely from the one illustrated.It is to be understood also that certain features of the invention maybe employed independently of other features, and such independent use iscontemplated. The invention is not, therefore, to be limited to thespecilic construction hereinbefore described and shown.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. in a casting-box, the combination with the body,of a cover, a support upon which one of these parts is mounted to rock,and connections between the body and cover whereby one of said parts iscaused to act as a counterweight for the other, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a casting-box,the combination with the body, of a cover, a framein which one of said parts is mounted to swing, pivotal connectionsbetween the frame and the other part, and pivotal connections betweenthe two parts, substantially as described.

3. In a casting-box, the combination with the body and cover, of a framein which one of said parts is mounted to swing, an extension on theother part, a pivotal connection between the frame and said extension,and pivotal connections between the two parts, substantially asdescribed.

4.. In a casting-box,the combination with the body of the box, of aframe in which said body is mounted to swing, a cover pivoted to thebox, an extension on the cover, and a pivotal connection between theextension of the cover and the frame, said connection being formed by alink pivoted to the extension and the frame, substantially as described.

5. In acastingbox,the combination with the body of the box and itscover, of aframe, one

- of said parts being arranged to stand in a substantially verticalplane for all positions of the other part, a frame in which the otherpart of the box is mounted to swing, pivotal connections between theframe and said vertical part, and pivotal connections between the twoparts, substantially as described.

6. In a casting-box, the combination with a vertically-arranged cover,of a frame, a boxbody mounted to swing in the frame, pivotal connectionsbetween the cover and the boxbody, and pivotal connections between theframe and the cover, substantially as described.

7. In a casting-box, the combination with a vertically-arranged coverhaving an extension, of a swinging body, a frame in which said swingingbody is mounted, pivotal connections between the cover and the body, andpivotal connections between the cover and the frame, said pivotalconnections being formed by a link which is pivoted to the extension andto the frame, substantially as described.

8. In a casting-box,the combination with the body and cover, of meanswhereby one of said parts is sustained in a substantially verticalposition, means whereby the other part may be swung toward and away fromsaid vertically-arranged part, and connections whereby saidvertically-arranged part is caused to act as a counterweight for theother part, substantially as described.

9. In acasting-box, the combination with the body and the cover, ofmeans whereby one of said parts is always sustained at substantially thesame angle to a horizontal plane, means for mounting the other part sothat it may be swung toward and from the first-named part to open andclose the box, and means whereby said first-named part is caused to actas a counterbalance for the other part, substantially as described.

10. In acasting-box, the combination with a frame, of a body pivotedtherein, a cover pivoted to the body and arranged to rise and fall asthe body is turned on the pivot, and means whereby said cover is alwaysmaintained in a substantially vertical position, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a stereotype-casting apparatus, the concave casting box or bedhaving marginal journals, and adapted to swing thereon from horizontalto about vertical position, in combination with the closed,water-containing, convex cover, connected pivotally at the foot to thelower end of said box or bed, means for maintaining said cover in anupright position and for moving it laterally and downwardly during theclosing movement of the box, and water-circulation pipes connected tothe water-space in said cover, substantially as set forth.

12. The concave casting box or bed provided with marginal journalslocated on a line intermediate between the middle and lower end of saidbed, in combination with the convex cover conforming to the concavity ofthe bed and connected pivotally to its lower end, said parts being soproportioned and united that the cover will approximately counterbalanceand aid in raising and lowering the bed, substantially as described.

13. The concave casting box or bed provided with means of adjustment toalternate vertical and horizontal position, in combination with theconvex cover pivoted to and approximately counterbalancing said bed,such cover having a curved internal water-space and tubular connectionstherewith through its hollow journals, whereby a constant water-currentis maintained through the interior of said cover and journals,substantially as described.

14:. In a stereotype-casting apparatus, the frame comprisingtransversely connected sides, the journaled box or bed having a swingingmovement in hearings in the frame sides, and the upright cover,pivotally connected to the foot of such box or bed and approximatelycounterbalancing it in said movement, in combination with supportingmechanism comprising a pivoted lever and jointed toggle-levers and aswinging longitudinal bar mounted on the frame-bars and engaging withthe cover, to hold it against the box or bed when both are in uprightposition, substantially as described.

15. The journaled box or bed, recessed marginally, the cover pivoted atfoot thereto upon journals having alimited lateral movement in suchrecesses, and suitable supporting mechanism serving to hold said partsin working position and to release them, in combination with meansadapted to separate the bed and cover laterally before such bed isturned down- "ward, substantially as described.

cal and horizontal position, and the verticallysustained convex coverand means for sustaining it in upright position, such cover having acurved internal water-space extending to the top of the metalreceiving-mouth, in combination with hollow journals for said cover,return-tubes spanning the concavity of the cover from top to bottom, andtubular connections admitting water at the bottom of said space anddischarging it at the top thereof into such return-tubes continuouslyduring use of the apparatus, the current entering and ultimately leavingthe cover through its hollow journals, substantially as described.

18. The tilting box or bed, the convex cover connected at foot thereto,and a supporting and releasing mechanism furnished with a vibratinglever located in rear of said cover, in combination with a rest for theheel of the bed in its horizontal position, such rest being erected onan extension of such lever, and thereby placed in and removed from itsoperative position by the movement of said lever, substantially asdescribed.

, 19. In a casting-box the journaled swinging body or bed, thevertically-sustained cover, and means for sustaining it in uprightposition, said cover being loosely pivoted to the box and formed withhollow journals and an internal concavo-convex water-space, incombination with water inlet and outlet pipes leading to and from saidcover and with interposed swinging pipe-sections, moving with the bedand cover and connecting the hollow journals of the cover with saidpipes for continuous water circulation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ALBER" EDWARD HALL. EDGAR HALL. Witnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, A. \V. LADD.

